Is Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update 1989 Autograph · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL sells for $73.40 against $12.99 raw: a $60.41 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.94) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $12.99
- PSA 10
- $73.40
- PSA 9
- $27.94
- Gem premium
- 5.7×
- As of
- Sep 3, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $73.40 | +$35.41 | +$10.41 | −$89.59 |
| PSA 9 | $27.94 | −$10.05 | −$35.05 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $16.50 | −$21.49 | −$46.49 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $12.99 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $39.31 | −$23.68 |
| 50% | $50.67 | −$12.32 |
| 75% | $62.04 | −$0.95 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 77%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $95.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $73.40 | −$21.60 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $44.00 | −$51.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $44.00 | −$51.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Other 2024 Topps Update 1989 Autograph cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL — FAQ
Is Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL worth grading?
A PSA 10 Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL sells for $73.40 against $12.99 raw: a $60.41 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.94) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update 1989 Autograph) sells for about $73.40 versus $12.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.7× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $95.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $73.40. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Derrek Lee #89BA2-DL breaks even when it gems about 77% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.94).
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